DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 30th, 2013) – GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing got a chance to have a few words with Chris Ulrich, an AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike competitor; he is also the owner of the GEICO Motorcycle-sponsored team that is fielding Dane Westby in AMA Pro Daytona SportBike.

AMA Pro:Why did you decide to make the switch from riding a Suzuki to a Honda?Ulrich: The Honda truly is a great platform to race on. From a race team standpoint, it is an honor to bring a Honda back in to the AMA Pro paddock and I think it adds a lot of credibility to the series. GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing is starting to get a lot of other manufacturers coming in like KTM and EBR to join the popular Yamaha and Suzuki branded bikes. We chose Honda because we believe it will give us the best chance to be a major factor in SuperBike competition.

AMA Pro:Having competed on a Suzuki for so long, how will it be different transitioning to a Honda? Ulrich: It has its own character, strengths and weaknesses. Overall it’s a great bike and I have no doubt I can fully adapt to it.

AMA Pro: How does your Honda compare with the Suzuki? What are the major challenges?Ulrich: There are always technical changes when transitioning between manufacturers. With this day and age, there is a lot of information and so many tools that we use to help us with the transition. We have computer programs that allow us to compare different things like geometry numbers.

AMA Pro: As an editor for RoadracingWorld.com, you’ve gotten to ride a number of different branded motorcycles, how do you feel the Honda matches up with the other motorcycles in its class?Ulrich: The Honda is a very potent motorcycle. It can definitely challenge other bikes out there on the market. We just have to get our electronics on it and build it to AMA Superbike Specification but overall I think it will be a very competitive bike.

AMA Pro: What kind of testing will you run leading up to the season?Ulrich: We’ll have a two-day test before Daytona to work out the kinks. We’re still working on the bike and are waiting for a few parts to come in but I have no doubt about the performance of the bike. So far, the results are very good compared to our previous manufacturer. One thing is for certain, we will be ready for Daytona.

AMA Pro: What kind of predictions do you have going in to 2013? What goals have you set for yourself?Ulrich: Our whole crew has a lot of confidence. I’m sure the transition will have its bumps in the rode. Obviously SuperBike is a very deep and challenging field but I think we’ve put ourselves in a great position to succeed. Top-five finishes and developing the bike for the 2014 Superbike season is the goal. We are fortunate to be riding on such a great platform this year with Honda. I couldn’t be more eager to start the season.